Sub-Skimmer Class.
Sub-Skimmer Class The other day, I had decided to make the most minimalistic ship possible, with one diesel engine, a propeller in the front, and hardly any deck, or mass. Upon sailing, the ship "bobbed in the water", diving down to -1k, then back up... flying out of the water! It then repeated this process, varying in speed between 35-25 knots. I then lovingly dubbed it "The Constipated Narwhal". The Second Ship Soon after, I created a second ship, different from the first. I dubbed this "The Toothy Dolphin." Instead of the previous single engine, I instead gave it two Diesel engines, as well as a underwater torpedo. This ship acted differently from the other, not going nearly as deep in it's dives. After some more testing, I found that they could both, you could say, "Swim". if you have the throttle set right, they can speed along below the water using only one propeller. The Physics... i think. I tried to figure out an explanation to this bizarre behavior, and I concluded that it must be this... The decking is acting like a pivot point, and the power of the propeller pulling the front up takes it out of the water. When it come out, the front falls in because more of the weight is in the front than the back. (Keep in mind, the pivot point may not be in the middle.) I conclude that this must be what results in this behavior. The Classes, Deep and Shallow. Deep (The Narwhal) This Class likely works this way because the pivot point (Where most of the deck is) is in the middle, and the gun and propeller weigh down the front to force the nose down. This overwhelmes the propeller, causing the ship to dive down until the propeller can regain control and pull it back up. When it reaches the surface, it all happens again. Advantages: * Extremely hard to hit/ very agile/ fast. * still "Swim"- capable. * can get off shots between dives, and can get very close to enemy ship with cannons. * Nearly immune to depth charges. * Can move much faster than sub. Disadvantages: * "Swim" angle is extremely steep, and you have to go slower doing it. * large fluctuations in speed due to dive and climb. * Can only use very light weaponry (debatable). * 1-shot KIA Shallow (The Dolphin) This class has it's pivot point farther back, as well as most of its weight (the engines). Because of this, there isn't much force other than the gun & torpedo launcher to force the propeller down, letting it regain control sooner during the dive. (BTW neither weapon is required, though some weight is.) Advantages: * Can move very fast * Very agile, and harder to hit than your classic destroyer. * Can "Swim" much faster than Deep class, and at a shallower angle. * Can control Swim depth much more easily. * Torpedoes are a much more viable option. * Can get extremely close to enemy ship. * Nearly immune to depth charges. * Can move much faster than sub. Disadvantages * Guns aren't as effective, because it's much easier to hit than the Deep when not Swimming. * Can be very expensive. * Takes some testing to get right Swim throttle. * Can only use very light weaponry (debatable). * 1-shot KIA Uses These ships are basically mini-destroyers, what with their speed and weaponry. I have used each one to take out Training through Battleships, and though it requires some skill, it can be done. These ships could serve a good distractor role, as well as an almost "sighter-ship" role because of their speed and agility. While there might be better alternatives to put in your fleet, these could easily replace a sub, just with lighter weaponry. One issue, however, is that THEY CAN'T STAY STILL. The propeller and engine hold up the entire craft, and if you turn that off, well... to Davy Jones's locker it goes. I suppose you could build a ship to carry it, bu the practicality in that is debatable. Plus, these ships come at a great cost compared to their size, because most of their mass comes from their weaponry and engines. Besides that, this is an interesting new class, and I would love to hear your comments, and see your designs! Kill pics (BTW I did not take pics of all my kills with these.)